Len Busch has been awarded Molten WBBL Coach of the Month for February and American guard Brooklyn Pannell has won WBBL Player of the Month after their respective teams, Sevenoaks Suns and Nottingham Wildcats, went unbeaten and strung together a series of key victories in recent weeks.
Suns are still yet to lose in the WBBL Championship and reached the WBBL Trophy semi-finals in February – subsequently making the final with their first game of March – leading to Busch winning a monthly award for the second time this season, following his November recognition.
Most significantly, the league leaders, with a current 14-0 record, scored two massive victories over third-placed Sheffield Hatters who had previously been right in the title race with just one defeat up to that point. They twice held the high-scoring Hatters – who average 84 points per game, second-most in the WBBL – under 60 points, with the first game being a tight affair that they won 57-54 after overturning a deficit in the last five minutes on consecutive Cat Carr scores.
Coach Busch made the necessary adjustments following that game, and two weeks later won more comfortably 69-55 on the road in Sheffield, leading from tip-to-buzzer after holding their rivals to just 11 points in the first quarter. In between those two games, Suns had their best defensive performance of the season, and the best of any side, in beating Oaklands Wolves 86-26 at Surrey Sports Park.
That is characteristic of Busch’s team as they have by far the best defensive record in the WBBL, conceding an average of just 49 points per game and holding opponents to a stifling 29% from the field – they are the only team in the league that keeps teams below 50 points and 30% shooting. They also lead the league in rebounding and play hard honest defence, committing the fewest fouls of any team.
Interestingly, there was an exception in February, when Sevenoaks conceded 71 points on the road at Essex Rebels – the highest since the opening game of the season in the Cup against London Lions – but they switched it up and still prevailed in that game by scoring a season-high of 86, making the WBBL Trophy semi-finals in the process. Fittingly, they did hold their hosts that day to 12 third-quarter points to take control of a one-shot game.
Suns now have a potentially season-defining March with the WBBL Trophy Final and a road clash at the league’s other unbeaten team, London Lions.
Meanwhile, Nottingham Wildcats had an almost equally as important unbeaten month in their climb through mid-table and pursuit of a top-four spot, inspired by Brooklyn Pannell’s huge performances as she picks up Molten WBBL Player of the Month following three wins, including two victories over near rivals.
The Columbus, Ohio native is a rookie professional after graduating from the University of Charleston and she has hit the ground running for the Wildcats, averaging a startling 23 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals per game through February, while shooting an eye-watering 46% from three-point range and 88% at the line.
Most significantly, the then sixth-placed Wildcats beat the fifth-placed Manchester Met Mystics 95-79 as Pannell poured in 30 points on an unstoppable 8-10 (80%) three-pointers, including three triples in quick succession as they opened the second stanza 14-6 to break the game open.
Prior to that, she had a key double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds, with five assists and four steals, as they scored a narrow 81-78 defeat of Essex Rebels, crucially jumping above Rebels in the WBBL Championship table at that stage, albeit that has reversed again in early March.
Pannell had started February with 19 points, eight rebounds, five steals and four assists as Wildcats went through the century in beating Cardiff Met Archers 117-82, continuing to do a bit of everything at both ends of the floor for her team.
Nottingham averaged a huge 98 points per game over those three outings in the month, the most of any team, and Pannell is currently the league’s leading scorer with 18.4 points per outing. She is also fourth in steals (3.0) and fourth in minutes played (36.4), making a huge contribution to the Wildcats.
March is a big month for Nottingham and may define the extent of their ambition, despite initially slipping in the WBBL Trophy semi-finals to London Lions, as three of their four remaining games will be contested against top three sides as they continue to aspire to a top-four finish.
Report/Image Source: WBBL